Divorce timeline

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Scope of this first version

A standard California divorce started by one spouse with FL-100—not a joint petition, legal separation, annulment or summary dissolution.

Case start and responseThe form date, filing date and service date are different facts.

Date of separation stated in the caseA party-stated date may be disputed; record which document or person supplied it.Petition filed (FL-100)Use the court file stamp, filing confirmation or court register—not the date the form was drafted.Petition and Summons servedRecord the reported service date and preserve the proof and underlying service facts separately.Response filed (FL-120)A completed copy is not enough; use a file-stamped copy, filing confirmation or court record.

Financial disclosuresRecord service of the disclosures; the underlying financial papers are generally not filed.

Petitioner’s preliminary disclosures servedThe financial papers are exchanged, not filed. FL-141 tells the court that service occurred.Respondent’s preliminary disclosures servedThis applies when the respondent participates or the parties use a default-with-agreement path.

Temporary-order trackOnly add this parallel track if an FL-300 request or hearing exists in the case.

Request for Order filed (FL-300)This begins a parallel hearing track; it does not mean the requested orders were granted.Request for Order hearing heldA scheduled date does not prove the hearing occurred. Use the court record to verify what happened.Order after hearing signed and filedKeep the signed order separate from FL-300, the hearing notes and any proposed order.

How issues were decidedA case may use an agreement, a trial, a default path or a combination.

Written agreement signedA signed agreement may support judgment papers; it is not automatically a filed court order.Trial completedThe judge’s decisions still need to be reflected in final forms and a signed judgment.

Judgment and final statusSubmitted, signed, filed and final are not interchangeable statuses.

Judgment papers submittedSubmission is not approval. The court may sign the papers or return them for correction.Judgment signed and filed (FL-180)Use the filed, signed judgment and its attachments—not a proposed or unsigned copy.Notice of Entry of Judgment received (FL-190)FL-190 confirms entry and states the date the marriage or partnership ends when divorce was requested.

Other case eventsAdd up to two dates that matter to your timeline. The tool does not save them to an account. Separate Sentry diagnostics, session replay and feedback can include information displayed or entered on this page. See our Privacy Policy for details.

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California divorce timeline explained

Does a California divorce take exactly six months?

No. California law sets an earliest possible date for a judgment to terminate marital status; it does not make a divorce final automatically at six months. The case can take longer because service, disclosures, agreement, trial, judgment paperwork and court review are separate events.

Responsible editor: Peter Schroeder · Editorial standards
Page updated October 8, 2026.

What the statute actually says

Family Code section 2339 says a dissolution judgment cannot terminate the marriage until six months have passed from service of the Summons and Petition or the respondent’s appearance, whichever occurs first. It also allows the court to extend that period for good cause.

Read California Family Code § 2339 ↗

That waiting period is only one boundary. California Courts divides the standard divorce process into four broad parts: start the case, share financial information, make decisions and finalize the divorce. A judge still must sign the judgment, and the filed judgment states the exact date the marriage or domestic partnership ends.

Why is the timeline not one straight line?

Different issues can move at different speeds. A temporary support or custody request may create an FL-300 hearing track while the main divorce continues. The parties may agree on some issues and need a judge to decide others. A judgment packet may be returned for correction even after every substantive issue appears resolved.

That is why this tool records actual dates rather than predicting a finish date. What happened and the court process ahead are related, but they are not the same thing.

Which milestones belong on a divorce timeline?

MilestoneRecord to checkWhat it does not prove

Petition filedFile-stamped FL-100 or court registerNot the same as service

Petition servedFL-115 plus underlying service factsMethod and completion can matter

Response filedFile-stamped FL-120 or court recordFiling and service are separate

Disclosures servedFL-141 reports the exchangeFinancial papers generally are not filed

Temporary ordersFL-300, service records and signed orderThe request is not the ruling

JudgmentSigned, filed FL-180 and FL-190Submission is not approval

Where do financial disclosures fit?

California Courts says financial disclosure is required in every divorce or legal separation. For the standard process, the petitioner’s preliminary disclosure is generally due within 60 days after filing the Petition; a respondent who filed a Response generally has 60 days after filing it. A default-with-agreement path also requires both parties to share financial information.

The underlying financial disclosure documents are exchanged with the other party rather than filed with the court. FL-141 tells the court that service occurred. This tool records the service event; it does not calculate that deadline or decide whether the disclosure was complete.

How can the case reach judgment?

California Courts identifies three main decision paths: default when no Response was filed, a written agreement, or a judge’s decision after a hearing or trial. A real case can combine them—for example, an agreement on property with a trial on support.

After the issues are resolved, final forms still must be submitted. The court reviews them, a judge signs the Judgment if everything is correct, and the filed judgment states the termination date. A submission receipt, unsigned FL-180 or six-month anniversary does not prove the divorce is final.

Official sources

Previous source review: August 25, 2026. This tool organizes dates; it does not calculate legal deadlines, determine whether service was valid or tell you what to do. It covers the standard California divorce process started by one spouse. Read CourtAhead’s editorial and source standards.

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